For what seems like the first time in ages we are back on the road in league action, as we make a familiar trip up the coast to take on Pollok for our 14th GreenVersity WOSFL Premier Division match of the season.
β½οΈ Pollok versus Troon F.C. β½οΈ
Saturday 1st February 2025
GreenVersity WOSFL Premier Division
Portland Park, Troon
Kick-off 2pm
It’s been a real stop-start beginning to the second half of the season, thanks to the Scottish winter & then Storm Eowyn! Troon really was in the eye of the storm last weekend & the town took a bit of a battering, with Portland Park certainly not being immune. A fair bit of work to be carried out at the ground before we host Johnstone Burgh in a fortnight unfortunately.
What is sure to be a hectic second half of the season finally begins with what is most supporter’s favourite away day in a trip to the southside and Newlandsfield. With five fixtures having been postponed or moved for Cup action and only one free weekend between now & the end of the season, we are sure for a busy start to 2025 with plenty of points at stake.
Pollok have had a very up & down season in 2024-25 so far. Manager Stewart Maxwell oversaw a strong finish to last season as a 6th placed finish was achieved, and after some fine-tuning to his squad in the summer after a full rebuild last summer the expectation would have been to go better than that. They’ll be hoping for a good start to the second part of the campaign to give them a jag in the right direction.
Hereβs everything you need to know ahead of Saturdayβs matchβ¦
Not great news on the injury front of late.
Following on from news that Scott McLean requires surgery on his knee ligament injury, Ewan McLevy has now received his scan results which show that he requires surgery to repair his knee as well, bringing his season to a premature end after he was forced off against St. Rochβs in October.
Dreadful news to be missing two of our brightest talents for the remainder of this season already, but sure weβll see them both back in a Troon jersey before too long.
Defender Logan Smith misses out this weekend, after limping off against Armadale with a hamstring complaint. But Bryan Wharton returns to the squad after suspension, while Stephen Bronsky returns after being cup-tied and both are raring to go.
Another weekend without a match unfortunately, but finally we’re back & it’s one of the more popular away days and a challenging task for the team.
It’s a challenge in itself having matches called off repeatedly. If it were just to be one match then a rest would be most welcome to the players but with a few being off now, right after the Christmas break as well, it becomes a challenge to maintain the fitness amongst the squad with no games. Intensity at training is key, as that maintains the sharpness in the players and keeps them ready for the matches that are to come, and that is where Andy, Marty, Johnny, Bingo & Perry have really come into their own this season. Credit to the players for their attendance & efforts as well, hopefully they’ll get the rewards for that in the next few weeks if they keep applying themselves.
As with all encounters against one of Maxi’s teams, we need to be prepared to match the work-rate & the discipline we will face on Saturday as a minimum, and then take our chances at the top end. Pollok beat us in the first match of the season at Portland, so it’s certainly one in the player’s minds that they want to avenge and it’s one that we are more than capable of. We just need to be absolutely right on our game.
Jimmy Kirkwood (Manager)
| Full Name | Pollok Football Club |
| Nickname(s) | The ‘Lok |
| Founded | 1908 |
| Ground | Newlandsfield Park, Shawlands |
| Capacity | 2,088 |
| Club President | Jeff Hunt |
| Manager | Stewart Maxwell |
| Captain | Calum Gow |
| 2023-24 | WOSFL Premier Division, 6th from 16 |
β½οΈοΈ STEPHEN DOCHERTY β½οΈ
Striker Doc saw his Pollok career do a complete 180 degree turn last season. Having found himself on the periphery earlier in the campaign, a loan spell at Gartcairn reignited his season and he scored 10 goals in 13 league appearances following his return to Newlandsfield.
A really physical presence up front for the ‘Lok, his direct running & eye for a goal is always a threat to opposition defences.
β½οΈοΈ BEN FRY β½οΈ
A top young keeper, the Northern Irishman is in his second season at Newlandsfield after his move from University of Stirling last July.
Began as back-up to Jordan Longmuir, Ben quickly grabbed the starting jersey & impressed with his sharp reflexes & agility in Stewart Maxwell’s new-look team.
Β© Thanks to our club photographer Graeme McKenzie for his photos – fantastic, as always!
Pollok
| DREW | LOST | LOST | LOST | WON |
| 1-1 | 1-3 | 2-1 | 1-1 (4-3 on pens) | 4-2 |
| Cumnock (A) | East Kilbride (H) | Auchinleck Talbot (A) | Muirkirk (A) | Cumbernauld United (H) |
| Sat 18th January | Sat 21st December | Sat 14th December | Sat 7th December | Sat 30th November |
| WOSFL Premier | South Challenge Cup R5 | WOSFL Premier | WOSFL Cup R3 | Scottish Junior Cup R4 |
Troon F.C.
| LOST | WON | WON | WON | WON |
| 1-1 (3-5 on pens) | 0-1 | 1-1 (5-4 on pens) | 1-3 | 1-0 |
| Armadale Thistle (H) | Largs Thistle (A) | Lochee Utd (H) | Port Glasgow (A) | Auchinleck Talbot (H) |
| Sat 18th January | Sat 21st December | Sat 14th December | Sat 7th December | Sat 30th November |
| Scottish Junior Cup R5 | WOSFL Premier | Scottish Junior Cup R4 | WOSFL Cup R3 | WOSFL Premier |
If you can’t make it along to the game , you can keep up to date with all the latest info via the club’s social media channels:
Live updates from the BRAND NEW official Troon F.C. Twitter feed (I’m not calling it X yet)
- Team news pre-match
- Goal alerts
- News flashes
- Real time alerts
Make sure you follow our NEW feed!
Match news via the official Troon F.C. Facebook page
- Team news pre-match
- Half-time score & update
- Full time results
All news on the club FIRST via the official Troon F.C. WhatsApp Supporter’s Group chat
- Vote for your Man of the Match
- Info on functions & events
- Book your seat on away buses
- Discuss the match with fellow Troon fans!
Troon only lifted 1 point from the two clashes last term, with Stewart Maxwell’s men from the southside just edging our encounters.
AWAY MATCH
| Saturday 30th September 2023 | Match Centre |
| POLLOK | DREW | Newlandsfield |
| TROON FOOTBALL CLUB | 2-2 | WOSFL Premier |
The first encounter of 2023-24 was at Newlandsfield in September, and the division’s form side Pollok came into it in confident fashion having won 7 of their 9 matches to date. Marc MacKenzie put the ‘Lok ahead in the first minute to have the visiting Seasiders on the ropes, but Mark Shankland’s 21st minute strike restored parity. Adam Forde struck on the 71st minute to give what seemed at that point the 3 pints, before Mark Shankland struck again deep into injury time for a share of the spoils.
HOME MATCH
| Wednesday 17th April 2024 | Match Centre |
| TROON FOOTBALL CLUB | LOST | Portland Park |
| POLLOK | 1-3 | WOSFL Premier |
Pollok had gone through a tough spell in the middle part of the season, but were once again the division’s form team when they came to the seaside in April. A tight affair was tipped in the balance of the visitors right on the stroke of half-time by in-form Stephen Docherty. Scott Forrester quelled the fight-back just after the hour mark before sub Chris Duff sealed the win with just a few minutes remaining.
Dean Fulton reduced the deficit for the hosts in injury time, but it proved merely a consolation.
(before this week’s matches)
| REFEREE: | ||
| Keiran Trayner | ||
| Assistant Referee 1: | Assistant Referee 2: | |
| Lewis Brown | Richard Duncan |
| Referee Observer: | To be appointed |
π π¦π¨π£π£π’π₯π§ππ₯π¦ ππ¨π¦ π
Billy Inglis is doing a head count to check viability for a supporterβs bus for this weekend. Please contact Billy on: 07957 539491 if youβd like to reserve a seat.
π π§π₯ππ©ππ ππ¬ ππ¨π¦ π
π STAGECOACH.com
π π§π₯ππ©ππ ππ¬ π§π₯πππ‘ π
π SCOTRAIL.co.uk
Tickets are available at the cash turnstiles at Newlandsfield:
| Adult: | Β£9 |
| Concession: | Β£5 |
You can find out all about the match itself by visiting the match centre both before and after the game, with the team line-ups, scorers & bookings on the specific match page for the fixture.
To visit the match centre, CLICK HERE.
β½οΈ Troon F.C. Development Team versus Glenafton Athletic β½οΈ
Friday 7th February 2025
WOSFDL Conference E
Portland Park, Troon
Kick-off 7.30pm
Head along & support the Troon stars of tomorrow!
β½οΈ St. Cadoc’s versus Troon F.C. β½οΈ
Saturday 8th February 2025
West of Scotland Cup 4th Round
New Tinto Park, Govan
Kick-off 2pm